HLT305 Legal and Ethical Principles in Health Care
Week 6 Discussion
DQ1 You are an administrator at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. You are informed that a new strain of the flu virus is quickly spreading across the country. It is potentially life-threatening for young children and the elderly. The CDC quickly begins producing a vaccine for the new strain but there is not going to be enough vaccine produced to distribute to everyone in need. You are asked to identify how to distribute the vaccine in order to stop the spread of the disease. Who do you believe should receive the vaccine and why? Explain your answer.
DQ2 The Translational Genomics Research Institute (T-Gen), located in Phoenix, Arizona, has developed a procedure using genetic testing to identify the underlying biological defects associated with specific diseases. In some cases they are able to force rare cancers into remission and reverse the course of disease. This treatment is available to anyone but is not covered by most insurance policies.
Who in our society benefits from this medical advancement? Should the general public be made aware of this option? What implications regarding personal, cultural, or societal values does this medical advancement introduce?
